Foreign visitors straining Viet tourist facilities
QUI NHON - Enticed by Vietnam's off-the-beaten-track reputation
and its perceived immunity from global terrorism, swelling numbers of
foreign visitors are putting a strain on the country's tourism infrastructure.
With international arrivals rising nearly 13 per cent last year to 2.63 million,
and top hotels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City reporting bursting occupancy
rates, industry experts believe Vietnam is fast outgrowing its current
capacity.
'There is a shortage of
accommodation in
Vietnam at this moment,
not just for five-star
hotels but for quality
accommodation catering
to all budgets,' said Mr
Stephen O'Grady,
manager of Ho Chi Minh
City's luxury Caravelle
Hotel.
'Vietnam needs to keep
developing the market to
cater to the varied
demands of the
international traveller.
'If you look at Thailand, it
is still building four- and
five-star hotels as well as
boutique hotels.'
His comments were echoed by hotel developer and Asian tourism specialist
Louk Lennaerts.
'People are looking for a new and adventurous place to go, which is very
hard to find, and so tour operators are looking for a new destination.
'This strong demand is fuelling the need for development.'
In recognition of this growing demand, the government announced this
month that it would invest US$29 million (S$50 million) this year in the
sector, a 20 per-cent increase from the US$24 million spent in 2002.
'We realise that we need to further develop our tourist facilities and
modernise our infrastructure,' said a spokesman for the Vietnam National
Administration of Tourism.
Agence France Presse - January 20, 2003.
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